§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to ensure that his Department's computer systems will be millennium compliant; and if he will make a statement. [1252]
§ Mr. SpellarSince early last year the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has been embarked on a programme to tackle the Year 2000 problem across all aspects of Defence, from routine support systems through to front line operational equipment.
My Department is managing its Year 2000 programme under the auspices of guidelines set by the Cabinet Office IT Unit (CITU) and is working closely with the Government Centre for Information Systems (CCTA) as a member of its Year 2000 Public Sector Group. Guidance which details the actions that need to be taken has been made widely available within the Department. All candidate systems are being surveyed and any necessary corrective action is being planned/undertaken. To ensure that suitable skilled resources are available without delay, "enabling" contracts have been placed with a number of companies.
184WAn MOD Steering Committee has been established to oversee the programme with representation covering the breadth of the Department. In addition, a central help desk is operating successfully and an extensive awareness campaign is being mounted across my Department, with the aim of engaging the commitment of everyone in ensuring that all Defence systems are Year 2000 compliant before the 31 December, 1999.